"For those of you who might have known him, my House-brother Sir Starhelm
Warlocke died today of what appears to be a massive heart attack while
driving his wife (Mistress Nerak) on errands. She managed to bring the
truck to a safe stop before calling 911."

Starhelm was Master Lloyd von Eaker's student, and was elevated to knighthood October 28, 1979, by King Francois and Queen Alix. He was a member of the Dark Horde.

From an announcement on livejournal here, " As an example of his humour, those of you who were at Pennsic one year may
remember a squire walking around with a tabard on it with a man's face
artfully depicted on the front and the words 'My knight went to Turin and
all I got was this lousy tabard' on the back."

and the responseActually the wording states "My Knight sacked Turin and all I got was this lousy tabard". I know this, for a fact, since I, though not his squire, have the actual tabard.

Nerak requested the people remember Starhelm with "No shit, there I was..." stories, and some have been deposited on the Rialto groups.google.com/group/rec.org.sca/. I've heard rumor that the usenet groups might not be maintained, so I've backed it up roughly on another page here.

OK, Meridies frequently has experienced the 'death' of the King. In my mind
the end of the second Reign of John the Bearkiller REALLY stands out. The
Crown Prince, Francois du Vont, had told Bearkiller not to worry, he'd take
care of things for the sthick at high court, all Bear had to do was play along.

The event was held in the Original Louisiana Capitol building on the banks of the Mississippi. Ornate columns, spiral staircases, huge oak trees on the
lawn. All in all a very enchanting site. In attendance at that Coronation was
Her Serenity Bevin Frasier, the Steward of the Board of Directors, as the guest
of Starhelm for his knighting. Countess Bevin was accompanied by two knights
from the west coast. And they were seated with the Royal parties on the dais
which is in the original Louisiana House Chamber.

During dinner a gypsy girl came in leading a 'bear' on a chain. She would
yank the chain and the 'bear' would dance for a few seconds, then she would
yank again. Francois began to needle Bearkiller "Daddy, daddy, make him
dance!" Bearkiller booted the 'bear' in the rump and the 'bear' danced. At
the third repeat of the royal stimulus the 'bear' turned around and mauled John
the Bearkiller.

Blood packs spurted open, John fell to the floor. Francois vaulted over the table (rubber dagger in hand) and struck at the 'bear' who promptly fled.

Mistress Bevin has been shoved behind her two escorting knights. Francois is
crying and screaming about killing the animal. Most of the knights in the room
are on their feet with drawn weapons looking for the bear. All in all a most
memorable first event in Meridians for me.

Oh, and at Yule that year His Majesty Francois awarded an AOA to Lord Bear the John Killer. So somewhere in Meridies there is a bear suit with an AOA as far as I know.

A couple of memories from long ago, and a photograph taken at Atenveldt Warlord Tourney back in the Spring of 1977:

1. At the second Meridian Coronet List, held at Hard Labor Creek State Park, I first met Starhelm, and first met him in battle, on a diving board at the lake in the midst of the Grand Water Melee of that age (September, A.S. XI/1976). This, my third SCA event, saw me facing a steely beserker with axe clenched in hand, and plunged directly into the deep when said axe was gently applied to my novice snout...........

2. Some years later, at the Investiture of Francois as last Baron Draconia, it happened that there was a tourney held upon the day. As fate would have it, the form of the Tourney was that the King would draw forth from a helm for each bout a parchment upon which would be inscribed the weapon to be employed by the combattant. Our King (the wise but occasionally diminuitive John of Ean Airgead, called the Mad Celt) did call forth to combat Sir Starhelm Warlocke, to do battle with Duke Lawrence of Ashana. Into the helmet, and forth with the first weapons to go to Lawrence: "sword and shield." King John next stretched forth his mighty hand, and plucked forth Starhelm's Doom: Royal Prerogative. John was pensive. John pondered long, and ultimately decreed: "florentine....." and, as Sir Starhelm turned to go, ".......spears!"

So the combat was set, Lawrence with a form in which he was acknowledged a master, and Starhelm with florentine spears. At the call to "Lay on," Starhelm thrust with couched spear, and Lawrence countered masterfully. Seeing this, Starhelm raised the point of his downward ranged shielding spear, and plunged it neatly into Lawrence's entrails........

........and the crowd went crazy. I was there, and I remember it as though it were yesterday.

From the Sometime Chronicles of Meridies, AEdward of Glastonburh, called the Saxon

In September 2008, this came from Leonard Servat (Brother Hrolf Aethelstan of Cantwaraburh):

I am deeply saddened to see that Sir Starhelm passed away so suddenly. Starhelm (Mike) and I go back to 1975. He, like I, was a founding member of the (now) Barony of Axemoor (New Orleans). We had a lot in common. He and I had both just gotten out of serving in the Navy. (Mike later re-upped and joined the Air Force and was deployed in the First Gulf War). We attended both of his weddings (mundane and SCA). Mike and Karen and Annabel and I started our families at the same time as well. We continued to see them mundanely long after we quit the SCA (can one ever quit the SCA completely?) until they moved to Nashville. I was in contact with Mike via email until about two years ago when my computer crashed and I lost his email address. Our deepest condolences to Nerak (Karen) and children.

I had so many good times with Starhelm. I don't know where to begin. He and I loved to sing and sing we did with Skylark the Bard (Nancy) in Axemoor.

I guess one of my earliest memories of him was when we were driving to a tournament in Pensacola, Florida. I don't remember the shire's name. I went with Lady Brighet of Draconia (We weren't even dating at the time. She is now my wife of 30 years). We left from Baton Rouge. Starhelm had an extra cb radio which he lent to us. He was driving his red Gremlin with Lady Aioffa from New Orleans. We met at Biloxi and had a fine time "baiting" the truckers with medievalisms. Volsung Red Beard and his wife Esmerelda from Pensacola were also good friends of Sir Starhelm.

At the very first border war between the (then) Principality of Meridies and the Middle Kingdom in the summer of 1977, Starhelm, Andras from Grey Niche, another person from Grey Niche (don't remember his name), and myself formed a commando unit. Starhelm and the others were armed only with spears. I was the only fully armored person with shield and mace. We edged around the two armies going by going down into a reservoir and coming back up behind the Middle's army. They had left their campground and queen unprotected. The Queen of the Middle, however, was armed and quite willing to protect herself - with a bullwhip. Starhelm stood behind me with the other spearmen and most graciously explained to Her Majesty that we would never harm a lady but that she was in a most untenable position and must needs surrender. The Queen and her ladies surrendered.

We escorted the Queen and her court to the battlefield. Starhelm stopped the battle and made an awesome speech requesting ransom of the Middle's Queen. To our utter astonishment, the King of the Middle refused to ransom his Queen and the battle resumed. Needless to say, the Queen was not pleased one bit. That night, in conjunction with Prince Francois Duvant, she called the four of us up. Thanked us for our chivalry and named us Royal Meridian Commandos.